A New Family
by beelzemongirl
Summary: My first ever Shaman King fic, so be nice. Ryu and Tokegaro allow a young girl named Casoria to travel with them. Can the trio find where they truly belong together? totally not a pairing!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fic except my OC. Hope you like this. It's my first Shaman King fic, so be nice, please.

She had spent many a month out in the cold, on her own, alone. Her parents had forsaken her when she told them what she could do. At first, she hadn't expected them to believe her, but, well, they did. And now, little Casoria was out on her own with nothing. She was only about nine years old, but it didn't matter. She had frightened them, and now they had forgotten her.

Casoria was a beautiful child once. When her hair wasn't matted with mud and such, it was a dark, silky black color. Her eyes were once bright with happiness and joy, but now they were big and dark with fear and longing. As far as color was concerned, they were light brown. She was really too young to have a figure, but she was small and, well, she was, cute. Her clothes were all dirty and muddy and she smelt horrid, like an abandoned dog.

Her only friends were the spirits she saw wandering the streets and roadways she'd walk on. They were her lights, her friends, her family even. She could see them, touch them. That was one of her abilities, one of many. When she touched them, she saw things, felt things. Casoria knew their pain, their reason for being here on earth. She tried to help them, but honestly, what could a nine year old psychic do?

She spent her nights in ditches and days wandering streets and roads. She went wherever she felt she needed to go. Sometimes Casoria followed the sprits, just to be sure of certain things. Well…not too certain of things. She just felt a need to follow someone, to have a little sense of direction. But it was that little tendency that would bring two…rather…three destinies together…

******

Believe it or not, it all started at a river. Casoria was stopping by to get a drink when she heard something moving in the trees ahead of her. She looked ahead and moved around in the direction of the sound. Whoever it was that was moving, they were really quick.

Casoria tried to follow, but it was proving difficult. Even though she was young, she didn't have as much energy as most would think. When her little legs couldn't carry her anymore, she sat down on the cool, wet grass. Casoria looked around and saw nothing but a green scaled, red eyed lizard as her one companion.

Casoria had a choker around her neck, a birthday gift from her mother. It was made of some sort of strong black thread and had seven beads on either side of a silver gecko charm. The white beads changed to purple in the sunlight. She had that necklace since she was about three years old, so it was very important to her. Right now, the silver gecko was glowing, which only meant one thing. Her little companion was a spirit.

"You can come here. I know what you are".

The lizard did nothing but look at her and then took off. Casoria shrugged. Oh well, some spirits just didn't trust people. He was just one of those kinds of spirits….

******

"There you are! Why'd you take off?" Ryu asked his spirit partner when he appeared in his lizard form.

The green lizard changed shape to reveal his true form. Tokegaro was Ryu's partner in the shaman tournament, but now with it out of the way and with Yoh as the Shaman King, he stuck around Ryu to be his number one, shoulder to shoulder companion.

"We're not alone" the lizard spirit told him, "There's a little girl here. I think she can see spirits".

"She didn't see you like this did she?".

Tokegaro shook his head. "No, just in animal form. I didn't wanna risk anything".

"Where is she? Was she alone?".

"She was down by the river last I saw her. She heard me moving around and chased me around. When I heard her coming too close, I changed to the lizard. And yeah, she was all by herself. Poor kid's gotta be starving or something".

"Take me to her, we'll rescue her, maybe help her find her way back home".

"I don't know about this…but it's worth a shot! C'mon, I'll take you to her!".

Ryu followed his partner into the woods again, hoping to find what, well, who, needed to be found.

A/N: Yeah, this is corny so far, but bear with me. It's my first Shaman King fic, so yeah…Anyway, see ya next chapter.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Casoria.

Casoria hadn't moved since the lizard left. It was starting to get dark, but she waited. She knew that it would be back. If the spirit had a problem or something holding it there, it'd be back. Casoria smiled as she untied the choker around her neck and held the charm, thinking of the lizard.

She looked up and saw, up in the trees, a pair of glowing scarlet eyes. Casoria's smile didn't fade. If anything it widened.

"I would've waited forever. Why don't you come down from there and we can talk" she said to the lizard.

Tokegaro didn't reply, but waited for Ryu to come. He had to see this. This child, though so young, he could sense that she knew so much about spirits. He wasn't kept waiting long. But by the time Ryu had gotten there, Casoria was already up on the same branch as Tokegaro and had the lizard in her hands, stroking and petting gently.

"Oh" Casoria noticed Ryu down below, "Hi".

Ryu looked up and there she was, smiling and petting his spirit with two gentle fingers going down his back. Yeah, he was enjoying it.

"How'd you get up there?" Ryu asked.

"Simple, I climbed up".

"Wow, you're a good climber".

"Thank you. I found this lizard. I think he likes me".

"Could you show me?".

"Yeah, hold on".

Casoria climbed down while holding Tokegaro in one hand. That impressed Ryu immensely. When she got down to Ryu, she presented the lizard to him.

"Isn't he cute?".

"Uh…adorable".

"You can hold him. I already know you're a shaman. This is your guardian ghost, isn't it?".

Ryu took him nice and gentle from her and set him on the ground.

"He is. He's my partner".

"Well, you and him are kinda alike. I can tell just by looking at you and touching him. I know so much already".

The lizard changed shape again, this time so Casoria could see him. The little girl grinned.

"You! I saw you earlier! You ran from me. How come?" Casoria asked the former bandit.

"I didn't know you could see me at first. I got a little freaked, that's all".

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you".

"Are you a shaman?" Ryu asked.

"No, not really. I can touch spirits, like they're living people. I talk to them, make them feel a little more human. I love all the spirits I come across, but…it hasn't been so well with me so far".

"How come?".

Casoria sighed and leaned against the tree. "My parents…they got scared of me because of it. They got so scared that they kicked me out".

"Just for being able to see and talk to us? Man, that sucks!" Tokegaro added his sense to it.

"They were scared because they couldn't understand. It's okay, I'm not mad at them. If they ever asked to have me back, I'd come home in a heartbeat. If they asked me to forgive them, I'd do it".

"You are a noble little person. What's your name?" Ryu asked.

Casoria smiled. "Casoria".

"Beautiful name…so…where exactly are you going?".

"I don't really know. I find spirits and I kinda follow them around until they move on. Then I just keep going in that direction".

"Would you…Casoria, would you like to travel with us?".

Casoria looked at Ryu with a glow of happiness in her eyes. Could it be that someone actually wanted her around? Tokegaro knew that look all too well. For once, she didn't look fearful. For once, there was hope.

"I'd…I'd…love to!".

Casoria ran up to Ryu and hugged his leg. She belonged somewhere at last.

A/N: How was that? Hopefully not too bad. I really am trying here guys. I hope this is okay.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Casoria, same as usual.

_You with the sad eyes, _

_Don't be discouraged. _

_Oh I realize it's hard to take courage, _

_In a world, full of people. _

Things only got sweeter for little Casoria, who seemed to follow Ryu wherever he went. Well, yeah, she would, seeing as how he was the only…well…okay, living adult around. Ryu had told Casoria a lot of things about himself, but his guardian ghost was still somewhat of a mystery to her. She didn't learn much when she touched him.

Ryu was asleep now, but his little charge couldn't. What was this lizard man all about? What was it about him that made him almost an instant friend to her? Granted, she usually became friends with spirits pretty fast, but with Tokegaro, there was something special. Something in all the pain he felt back when he was alive that she had detected earlier.

He was sitting under a nearby tree now, just waiting. For what, Casoria didn't know. She recalled his pain and wanted to get to the source of it. Maybe she could help him.

_You can lose sight of it all. _

_And the darkness all inside you_

_Makes you feel so small. _

"Casoria, what are you doing awake?" Tokegaro asked when he noticed her.

"I just thought maybe you'd want someone to talk to".

"You need your rest".

"And you need help. I know".

He looked puzzled and Casoria continued.

"When I was petting you, I could sense all your pain. Why are you hurting so much? You can tell me. I won't tell Ryu if you don't want me to".

"He already knows. He knows everything about me. Why are you so eager to know? I don't wanna scare you".

"You won't, I promise".

_But I see your true colors shining through. _

_I see your true colors, _

_And that's why I love you. _

_So don't be afraid, _

_To let them show. _

_Your true colors, _

_True colors, _

_Are beautiful, _

_Like a rainbow. _

"It was years ago…centuries, actually. A famine struck the land. It got so bad that people almost turned to animal like behaviors to survive. Some even were forced to convert to cannibalism".

"It sounds gruesome".

"It was. Unfortunately, I was one of those some".

Casoria looked surprised and Tokegaro laughed at her expression.

"Who'd you eat?" Casoria asked.

At that question, Tokegaro seemed to shy away.

"It's not important".

But Casoria could sense otherwise.

"Yeah it is. Why don't you tell me?".

"I don't want to reopen that scar".

_Show me a smile then. _

_Don't be unhappy. _

_Can't remember, _

_When I last saw you laughing. _

Scar? What scar? Casoria reached out. There was only one way to find out, and it was a way she hadn't honestly wanted to do. Tokegaro pulled away from her, trying to get away from her seeing touch. He didn't want her to see what he had done. But he couldn't escape her, and she touched his hand.

He was surprised he could feel her warm skin against his cold, dead hand. Casoria moved her hand up to his wrist and then to his arm.

"Don't…please, Casoria, I don't wanna scare you. You won't be able to take it".

_If this world makes you crazy_

_And you've taken all you can bear, _

_You call me up, _

_Because you know I'll be there. _

Casoria ignored his plea and moved even further up to his shoulder. Her touch was extra gentle for him. Sure, he appeared strong now, but what was the source of his insecurity? Casoria moved down from his shoulder to his collar bone and she continued to move down until she got to his chest. That was when he knew what she was trying to do. Tokegaro grabbed her hand.

"Don't!" he barked.

"I just wanna help you…please let me" Casoria gave him a sympathetic look.

_And I'll see your true colors shining through. _

_I see your true colors, _

_And that's why I love you. _

_So don't be afraid, _

_To let them show. _

_Your true colors. _

_True colors are beautiful, _

_Like a rainbow. _

Tokegaro released her hand and let her continue. Casoria let her hand fall to the left side of his chest, right where his heart used to be. It didn't beat anymore, but she could still see and know its pain and the cause of it all. The gecko around her neck glowed white and numerous things passed over her line of sight.

Rainy, cold days spent in holes in the ground that were meant to be graves, a crying, dirty, alone little boy, barely her age. He struggled to keep himself warm and alive nonetheless. He hadn't eaten in a while, and everything seemed dead. The boy, she knew it was Tokegaro back when he was alive. He cried and tried to keep himself warm. Casoria wanted to help him, but it was only a memory and therefore, she could do nothing.

_Can't remember when I last saw you laugh. _

_If this world makes you crazy, _

_And you've taken all you can bear, _

_You call me up, _

_Because you know I'll be there. _

She focused on what her question entailed. Who had Tokegaro eaten? She went a little further ways and found when he was about six years old. That was where she would find out. Casoria looked on as a woman sacrificed herself to save him. And then…

"Oh my god!" Casoria released him, "It was her…It was…".

_And I'll see your true colors shining through. _

_I see your true colors, _

_And that's why I love you. _

_So don't be afraid_

_To let them show. _

_Your true colors, _

_True colors, _

_True colors are shining through! _

"My mother, yes".

"She gave herself up so that you could live. You never got over it, did you?".

"No, no I didn't".

"That's too bad…you've forgotten why she really gave herself up. She loved you and wanted you to keep going. Not just to survive. You have to keep going on now. But you're so focused on the past".

She was right. All these years, he had been so focused on her death…he thought that maybe after he met Ryu and partnered up with him, everything would be okay. But things…they were just even more complicated.

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you. _

_So don't be afraid, _

_To let them show. _

_Your true colors,_

_True colors are beautiful, _

_Like a rainbow. _

Casoria hugged him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snooped".

Tokegaro put an arm around her. "It's alright, Casoria. I was insecure and you took the right way to get answers".

"Hey Tokegaro, you never had siblings right?".

"Of course not".

"Do you wanna be my big brother?".

It was an unusual request, but he would oblige.

"I'd love to".

Casoria snuggled up to the lizard man spirit and was surprised to find that he had gotten warm all of a sudden.

"I love you, Tokegaro".

"Why?".

But she was asleep already. He smiled.

"I love you too, Casoria".

A/N: I don't own the song True Colors. It belongs to whoever wrote it. I love the song, but I can't stand the singer. I can sing it better, and I'm nasally. Anyway, keep reading. Oh, to Gene's Gal, happy birthday. Hope you liked this!


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